The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-10-01
An Awkward Interview

"You will-er-stay and-and meet MT. Rochdale, my dear, will you not?" "Well, no, papa" replied Edith Lascelles, in a meditative fashion, "I don't think 1 will. You see, my po- sition is peculiar one. have no hesitation in saying I find it disa- greeable one also. suppose if 1 were like heroine of romance should feel a wild excitement and strange thrill, etc., at meeting the man who is to be my husband, but who is utterly un- known to me; but not being heroine at all, these feelings are wanting"
 "Of course, my dear," Mir. Las celles observed a trifie nervously, "you know you can refuse him if you like, but you are so sensible, and"
 "Yes," cut in the girl decisively, "and shall lose five thousand year, shan't l? Well, tell you fiatly, papa, shall lose the five thousand most eer- tainly if I don't like the man."
 "Then you intend to let the money slip from you altogether. In plain words you refuse ?"
 Edith shook her head
 "I never do anything in hurry" she determined, and glance at her pretty, firm mouth bore testimony to her words; but you did not tell me, papa, what induced Aunt Maria to choose this MT. Rochdale more than any other person."
 "She was in love with his father years ago. At least I believe so, my dear, and so-"
 "I understand" Edith's lip curled ill sheer; "delighttully sentimental and deplorably vulgar" . Two days later Edith found herself ensconced in the snuggest corner of pretty Mrs. Dalton's drawing-room She was very fond of Lucy; they had been firm friends in their childish days, and Mrs. Dalton had the great est respect for the tall, handsome girl who was so far her superior in brains. The last time they had met had been i'll Paris, when Edith was introduced to Lucy's husband, one of the kindest- hearted men in the world-a drysalter or a soapboiler, or some such myster- ious and consequently wealthy per- son--and to the golden haired child, the very image of her mother and the idol of the household.
 "You are looking pale, Lucy" Edith remarked as she stitched vigor- ously at her work-she was never idle moment.
 Lucy suddenly belied the sugges- tion by coloring vividly, almost pain fully.
 "I am very well, dear," she answer ed; and Edith's quick ear caught the faintest trace of annoyance in the pretty voice.
 She pondered little over this, and by and by Mrs. Dalton rose hurriedly.
 "You won't mind, Edith, if I leave you for half an hour, will you? l must go to Dents; they have not sent home the things ordered"
 "Let me go." Edith put down her work. "You know you have been out this morning, and Herbert does not like to see you tired when he comes home."
 60, the drive won't hurt me, and would rather go myself, the people are so stupid. know you won't be dull; there is pile of new books and baby will come down if you would care to have her."
 Edith stared at the fire when alone
 elf 1t was not too absurd,w she said to herself, as she recalled the nervousness and haste with which hel friend had spoken, "I should imagine that Lucy did not care about my be- ing with her just now. She made me very welcome, certainly, but sht seems changed, and don't know ex- actly where or howl Perhaps she i. ill. She may say what she likes, bu, she looks wretched. If 30, am very glad have come. She is an emotiona creature and would probably have be. come wretched and depressed whil, Herbert is away"
 Just about 6 o'clock Mrs. DaltoI returned.
 "Is Herbert in P she asked as sht threw off her mantle and united hel bonnet-strings. There was the faint. est flush on either cheek that might have been caused by the autumna wind, but seemed to arise from sup. pressed excitement.
 "Decidedly, Lucy is ill.," Edith de. termined, As she replied in the neg. ative; but she said nothing, only resolved that during Mir. Daiton'i forthcoming absence she would talk,